This will probably come as a shock to you, but your favourite author probably has imposter syndrome.
Image of Big Bird, writing in a notebook, sitting at a large boardroom table with a group of men with laptops.
The root of imposter syndrome for me is that I never feel like I know what I’m doing. I have written or co-written over 15 books and I still feel like I’m just winging it. (Pun intended… don’t forget to vote for Winging It in the Auroras)
I love technology but half of what I do for fixing a computer is googling the answer and the other half is turning things on and off. I sometimes wonder how I manage to make anything work.
The Secret
I think I figured it out. That’s the secret, no matter how confident and in control people seem, they still have insecurities. Writing in particular is an exercise in pushing through those insecurities.
Everyone has doubts, everyone worries they aren’t good enough, and everyone wants to improve. If they don’t, they don’t really care. It’s easy to be confident when you don’t give a crap.
Keep trying new things and just keep moving forward. That’s the only way to prove you aren’t an imposter.
Every book utilizes tropes, even if it’s to subvert them, and A Study in Aether is no exception. This book covers: Magic exists!, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Detailed worldbuilding, Hidden magical world, Single POV, Kidnapping mystery, and First day of school.
A Study in Aether by Éric Desmarais Cover art by @pinkpiggy93
The story was about the same level as the Super Mario Bros. video game and had significantly more plot threads that were not resolved.
Score: 0
Characters
The movie doesn’t slow down between set pieces and nostalgia to give anyone much development except Bowser, who then goes back to being a jerk. It would have been nice to have some sort of character bonding other than the one scene of Peach and Mario “not being angry”.
Both Peach and Rosalina suffer from the “Strong Female Character” syndrome where they are unbeatable unless the plot dictates they get captured.
Score: 0
Dialogue
There were some clever pieces of dialogue, a lot of call backs to the games, and some fun silliness.
Score: 1
Visuals and Music
The animation and easter eggs were wonderful. The space scenes were pretty and the character design was great.
The music was lovely and used lots of themes and sections from the games.
Score: 1
Fun
The kids loved it although even they had questions afterward about some plot points. The adults were less impressed but didn’t hate it.
I loved the nostalgia factor and I should be the prime audience for this, but it mostly left me meh. It wasn’t a good story and the characters were 8-bit.
Score: 0.5
Overall
A pretty animated film with enough nostalgia to keep you interested and some amazing music. Unfortunately, the story isn’t interesting and the characters are flat.
This summer, the first two books in The Gates of Westmeath will be going out of print and the rights are returning to us. Thankfully, River City Siren Press has agreed to re-release them and publish book 3 in Fall 2027!
I’ve been thinking a lot about life and growing up. It’s probably a side effect of editing my first book and dealing with the world’s most stubborn migraine.
This picture, or one just like it, showed up on the kitchen google and I suddenly felt very sad.
Pegasus and Dragon with me in 2021
I love my children and I love who they are now and who they are growing up to be. There are times I see these pictures and I miss them being tiny. Life was, in many ways, simpler back then. If given the chance to go back and re-live that time, I wouldn’t want to. It wasn’t perfect and I certainly didn’t do everything right but it’s part of who we are. Given the chance to go back for a hug and snuggle from those little babies, I couldn’t say no.
I mourn every version of my children while celebrating who they are now. It doesn’t make sense but so little about parenting does.
Then this picture showed up and I felt almost the same feeling.
My Mom in 2006, around Christmas
Again, I wouldn’t want to re-live that time but I wish I could go back for a hug and a good conversation with my mom. I wish I could be with her one more time. I wish I could tell her all about her amazing grandkids and everything Dan and I have accomplished in the past 18 years.
Then this wonderful picture showed up and I felt very different.
Jen and I on our wedding day in 2009. She’s so lovely and my face is very naked.
I love my wife. I loved her very early in our relationship and even through some rough patches, I have loved her for over twenty years. I can’t imagine my life without her. She’s my best friend, my writing partner, and a wonderful mother.
All that said, I have no interest in going back and interacting with a younger version of her. Everything she’s been through, everything she was, has made her into who she is and that’s who I love. All younger versions are shadows of who she is now and I’m overjoyed to have her now.
If you ask me in 5 years, I’ll say that that version of her is my favourite. We’re growing, learning, and living together and that is so special.
I guess If I have a point, it’s that you need to enjoy the people around you as they are now because they are going to grow and change. No one owes you stagnation and when people stop growing, you’ll miss them more than you can ever know.
With Mother’s Day this weekend:
Go hug your children, your mothers, and your wives! Tell them how much you love them because the only thing tomorrow promises is change.
If you like magical mysteries set in high school, with killer kitten swarms, carnivorous ball pits, and girl detectives, then A Study in Aether is for you!
The first three quarters of the movie felt a lot like an older environmental movie (Fern Gully etc.) but the last part added a lot to the message and was something I hadn’t seen before.
Score: 1
Characters
Everyone does a great job acting and the characters are good. I found the main character acted younger than her age and the maniacal Titus was a little on the nose.
Score: 0.5
Dialogue
There’s a lot of great quotes and a lot of resonating messages. The kindness and love shown by George is wonderful and refreshing.
Score: 1
Visuals and Music
The animation is stunning and the use of the camera is excellent. I really appreciate the characters’ changes depending on who is perceiving them.
Score: 1
Fun
There are some laugh out loud moments and lots of good stuff in this movie. The kids loved it and so did the adults.
Score: 1
Overall
Another excellent story from Pixar that will make you laugh and cry in turn. The message of co-operation and seeing the best in people is deeply needed in today’s world.
